In recent years the use of wireless mobile devices such as personal data assistants (PDA's), electronic planners, etc. have become wide spread. The wireless nature of these devices provides the user with the ability to move freely from one location to another without the hindrance of cords and other hardwired connections. Thus, users can enjoy the benefits of personalized computing power while traveling or simply commuting from one location to another. Although such wireless mobile devices are fairly self contained, there are many instances when they will need to interface with other devices such as a desk top computer or a Local Area Network (LAN). For instance, after returning from a business trip, a user may wish to download all information stored in their PDA to their office desk top computer. Additionally, connections between the mobile device and a LAN may often be necessary to print documents to a printer connected to the LAN.
In order to avoid the need to carry around special serial or parallel connectors which are capable of connecting mobile devices to desk top computers and LANs, many mobile devices come pre-equipped with a bi-directional optical communication port (e.g., a bi-directional infrared (IR) port which complies with published infrared data association (IRDA) standards). Using the optical port, the mobile devices can wirelessly upload and download information from any other device capable of optical communication. Thus, the user no longer needs to carry around extra cables each time an optical transaction needs to take place with the mobile device.
In order to accommodate the increasing usage of mobile devices, many computers now come pre-equipped with drivers which allow optical transceivers to be connected to the computer via one of the standard communication (COM) ports. Thus, wireless devices with optical ports can now communicate with these computers once the connecting optical device is attached to the computer.
Unfortunately, even with the ability to add optics, host devices (e.g., desk top computers, lap top computers, mobile terminals, etc.) must still dedicate one of the available com ports for optical communication thus limiting other equipment that could be attached. Furthermore, wires associated with optical transceivers connected to the host device or LAN often come in the way of a user.
Thus, what is needed is a convenient method and apparatus for transferring optical communication from a host device to another device which avoids the difficulties described above.